Ukraine and Egypt will hold the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Economic and Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Cairo on December 14 to December 16, the Economy Ministry said on the website, following the meeting of Deputy Economy Minister, Trade Representative of Ukraine Taras Kachka with Egyptian Ambassador to Ukraine Ayman Elgammal.
“We are currently conducting a study on the possibility of concluding an agreement on a free trade area with Egypt. Ukraine is interested in increasing the supply of agricultural and food products, vehicles, electrical equipment, engineering products,” the ministry’s press service said, citing Kachka.
He said that Egypt occupies a leading position among the countries of Africa and the Arab world in terms of trade with Ukraine. According to the results within the period of January-August 2021, trade between the countries amounted to $1.044 billion, for the entire last year to $1.7 billion.
According to the Ukrainian side, a major project of the Egyptian government, namely the construction of the new capital Vedian is interesting concerning the possibility of participation of Ukrainian business.
Entrepreneur Vasyl Khmelnytsky, as a loan guarantee, indirectly owns 20% of shares in the European company TKB Pacific Worldwide, which in turn owns 25% in Russia’s INK-NefteGasGeologiya, but plans to withdraw from shareholders by the end of 2022 after full repayment of the loan.
“I’m not doing business in Russia and have not invested in the acquisition of shares of Irkutsk Oil Company (INK),” Khmelnytsky commented to Interfax-Ukraine on the publication of the Russian edition of Forbes that he could be a co-owner of several INK assets.
The Ukrainian businessman explained that he has known the owner of TKB Pacific Worldwide for 35 years (according to Forbes, 80% of the company belongs to Russian woman Arina Nikolaeva).
“The securities are registered for me with the right to buy back. At the moment, most of the loan has already been repaid. I do not take part in operating activities and management. I do not receive dividends from activities,” Khmelnytsky stressed.
He clarified that in 2017, TKB Pacific Worldwide exercised an option to purchase a 25% stake in subsidiary INK-NefteGasGeologiya, whose oil production does not exceed 2% of INK’s total oil production.
“I have nothing to do with this transaction and do not receive income from the securities of the Russian company,” the Ukrainian businessman said.
The Russian edition indicated that INK-NefteGasGeologiya holds licenses for the Ayan block and the Ayan gas field.
Khmelnytsky in October 2017 united his business projects and social initiatives under the brand UFuture Investment Group (Brussels). UFuture is a holding company with a diversified portfolio of assets in real estate, infrastructure, industry, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and IT. UFuture’s assets are estimated at $ 550 million. The total capitalization of the businesses in which it has invested exceeds $ 1 billion.
The Regional Gas Company (RGC) plans to connect the first biomethane plant to gas distribution networks in the middle of next year, after the heating season, Director of RGC Strategic Planning Department Stanislav Kazda said in a commentary to the Green Deal portal on the sidelines of the Ukrainian Gas Forum.
“We want to be ready to connect the plant by the middle of next year. We do not yet know which biomethane plant to choose out of the ten considered. There are a lot of technical issues and financial constraints, but I am sure that at least one of them we can connect. Technically, this is possible after the end of the heating season,” Kazda said.
As reported, in May, the Regional Gas Company (RGC) and the Bioenergy Association of Ukraine (BAU) signed a memorandum of understanding and cooperation to synchronize the processes of redesigning gas distribution infrastructure and biomethane production. In August, gas distribution network operators operating under the RGC brand in three regions received proposals and technical parameters from BAU for connecting biomethane plants to gas distribution networks as part of a pilot project.
Ukraine and Switzerland have agreed on mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said.
“I am also pleased to announce that we have agreed to recognize COVID-19 vaccination certificates for free and safe travel of citizens and businesses,” Kuleba said at a press conference following talks with Federal Adviser, Vice President and Chairman of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis in Kyiv on Thursday.
“The exchange of notes has already taken place, and I invite all citizens to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tripadvisor.mfa.gov.ua, where you will see updated information on the conditions of travel to Switzerland,” the head of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added.
The Ukrainian Foreign Minister stressed that the mutual recognition of certificates is a very important step. “First of all, this is a step of trust that exists between our countries,” Kuleba added.
DYNAMICS OF BALANCE OF PAYMENTS OF UKRAINE (USD MLN)
Due to the rapid spread of coronavirus in the capital, strict quarantine restrictions are being introduced in the city from November 1, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said during a briefing on Thursday.
According to him, at the moment the capital, according to a number of criteria, has already reached the indicators of the “red” zone, in connection with which the city authorities will turn to the government with a request to strengthen quarantine restrictions.
“The decision to refer a city or region to the ‘red’ zone is made by the State Commission for Emergency Situations. And we appeal to the government to make such a decision. But I want to state that the capital, within its powers, introduces strict restrictions, which we announced earlier,” said Klitschko.
According to him, from November 1, all capital catering establishments, shopping and entertainment centers, hotels, gyms and social institutions can be visited only with a negative PCR test or a certificate of vaccination.
In addition, all schools in the city will switch to distance learning from Monday, kindergartens will be able to work only if 100% of the staff are vaccinated. In this mode, educational institutions will work until the epidemiological situation in Kyiv improves.
Public transport will not be stopped, but only people who have a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR test for coronavirus will be able to use it. Law enforcement officers will carry out spot checks on vehicles.
“We are introducing these severe restrictions because there are no other options in order to save the life and health of people,” the mayor stressed.
